This invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for reconstruction of imaging data, and more particularly to cone beam correction for reconstruction of three-dimensional computed tomography imaging data.
In at least one known computed tomography (CT) imaging system configuration, an x-ray source projects a fan-shaped beam which is collimated to lie within an X-Y plane of a Cartesian coordinate system and generally referred to as the xe2x80x9cimaging planexe2x80x9d. The x-ray beam passes through the object being imaged, such as a patient. The beam after being attenuated by the object, impinges upon an array of radiation detectors. The intensity of the attenuated beam radiation received at the detector array is dependent upon the attenuation of the x-ray beam by the object. Each detector element of the array produces a separate electrical signal that is a measurement of the beam attenuation at the detector location. The attenuation measurements from all the detectors are acquired separately to produce a transmission profile.
In known third generation CT systems, the x-ray source and the detector array are rotated with a gantry within the imaging plane and around the object to be imaged so that the angle at which the x-ray beam intersects the object constantly changes. A group of x-ray attenuation measurements, i.e., projection data, from the detector array at one gantry angle is referred to as a xe2x80x9cviewxe2x80x9d. A xe2x80x9cscanxe2x80x9d of the object comprises a set of views made at different gantry angles, or view angles, during one revolution of the x-ray source and detector. In an axial scan, the projection data is processed to construct an image that corresponds to a two dimensional slice taken through the object. One method for reconstructing an image from a set of projection data is referred to in the art as the filtered back projection technique. This process converts the attenuation measurements from a scan into integers called xe2x80x9cCT numbersxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cHounsfield unitsxe2x80x9d, which are used to control the brightness of a corresponding pixel on a cathode ray tube display.
In at least one known multi-slice CT system, a xe2x80x9ccone angle,xe2x80x9d or volumetric content of measured data, is very small. Therefore, this system currently processes 3-dimensional data using a 2-dimensional algorithm. By using the Feldkamp (FDK) algorithm, which is a simple perturbation of a 2-dimensional filtered backprojection (FBP) algorithm for image reconstruction, excellent image quality is obtained for these relatively small cone angles. The FDK algorithm is not exact, however, and as the number of slices increases (for fixed slice thickness) cone angle and cone beam artifacts increase.
It would be desirable to extend 2-dimensional CT fan-beam reconstruction algorithms to the cone-beam geometry of a third-generation multi-slice CT imaging system. Such a reconstruction could be based upon a modified FDK algorithm, but the modifications would have to compensate for both a cylindrical (rather than planar) area detector, and a helical (rather than circular) source trajectory. Use of a curved detector array requires data interpolation along curved lines on the detector, the application of a new data filter, and of pre- and post-convolution weights. However, the helical source trajectory complicates voxel-driven backprojection in that variable data (projection ray) redundancy conditions are encountered across a reconstructed image. For each voxel in a reconstruction volume, it is necessary to compute, for each source position, a ray passing from the x-ray source through the voxel. Thus, approaches must be found to address the handling of data redundancy and handling the variable number of rays that contribute to voxels.
Two approaches to addressing the problems of data redundancy and the variable number of rays contributing to voxels are known. In one approach, the helical pitch is limited so that at least two (interpolated) samples are obtained for each voxel. Extra data is thrown away, retaining only 2xcfx80 worth of projections. The z-resolution available from conjugate rays is ignored to keep the approach simple. However, in patient scanning, this approach is impractical, because it severely limits patient coverage and results in increases radiation dose. A second approach improves on the first by providing better image quality (IQ) and reduced patient dose, while handling any practical pitch. However, a method implementing this approach to handling the above-mentioned problems requires that all data passing through a given voxel (for given source and fan angles) are simultaneously available. As a result, methods based on the second approach are impractical to implement.
It would therefore be desirable to provide methods and apparatus that provide acceptable compromises between improved image quality and practicality in third generation CT imaging systems.
There is therefore provided, in one embodiment, a method for multi-slice, computed tomography imaging. The method includes steps of moving an x-ray source through a trajectory; projecting an x-ray cone beam from the moving x-ray source through an object towards a curved detector; and determining contributions of segments along the trajectory to voxels in a reconstruction volume of the object, including compensating the determined contributions for curvature of the detector and x-ray cone beam geometry.
The above described embodiment and others described in detail herein provide improved image quality in third generation CT imaging systems, even for cylindrical detectors and helical source trajectories. In addition, these embodiments can be implemented within the practicality constraints imposed by CT imaging hardware and patient dosage limitations.